Game 138: Time to start a new streak

The Yankees saw their season best eight game winning streak come to an end yesterday, but they’ve got a chance to come back and start a new streak today behind … A.J. Burnett. Yeah, that doesn’t sound too good, but in two of the three times he’s started against Baltimore this year, he’s held them to one unearned run or less through at least seven innings. That, uh, makes me feel better.

The Yanks haven’t played the Orioles since early June, before Buck Showalter took over as manager and gave the MSM something to write about with the way he’s “turned their season around.” The O’s are 13-12 19-31 under Showalter after going 38-74 before he arrived, yet they’ve still managed to lose a bunch of games in the standings. I really like Buck as a manager for that team given all their young players, but 25 games is indicative of nothing, especially a manager’s ability to get the best out of his players.

That Oriole looks really peaceful, like he’s just chillin out getting some sun. Probably got his lady oriole goin to get him a beer

Mike HC

I’m excited to see what they come up with for the Angels. And the Indians. Even the Twins, Tigers and Rangers. Those could get really good if they stick with this theme.

JM

Want to see Morbid??? Look up Moar Krabs on Google Images.

kosmo

I might be wrong but I think the Orioles are something like 19-13 under Showalter.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Bah, reply fail. Yes you are correct.

Henry

Correct

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Yes, you’re correct.

http://twitter.com/cephster Ross in Jersey

I have a feeling that – by the time this series is over – I’m going to tear my hair out if I have to hear more about how well the Os are playing under Buck. Here’s hoping we sweep them just to shut up that ridiculous narrative.

(Of course, no one will mention statistical regression to the mean or the diluted nature of September rosters as contributing factors)

CBean

I hope the Orioles got all that scoring runs out of their system in the last series.

Getaway day. The Yankees actually show common courtesy to other teams by scheduling early games on those days, when TV allows, of course. *coughESPNcough*

http://riveraveblues bob

yanks sweep o,s rangers and rays 3 hits for jeter today

Chip

I like the optimism

mike c

looking forward to AJ shutting up the “insightful commentary” already

Mike HC

You know Showalter is going to have the O’s ready to play the Yanks. Hopefully it won’t matter. It probably won’t matter.

DallasGreen

arod hr in 1st..

CBean

Come on Allan James!

Carlosologist

AJ looks like he’s flashing good stuff.

CBean

So far so good. Let’s hope he can go deep today.

Cy Pettitte

curve looking nasty today, good stuff

mike c

how do you deal with thames in LF? strike everybody out

Greg

That’s the best I’ve seen AJ look in a long time

Carlosologist

I did not know five days was a long time.

Greg

he was eh against the A’s

Pete

nice inning

Carlosologist

It looks as if we have good AJ for this month and the playoffs.

CBean

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Greg

Well

good May, bad June, good July, bad August…

see a pattern?

CBean

AJ fits in no molds.

http://twitter.com/cephster Ross in Jersey

That doesn’t bode well for October, either :P

http://twitter.com/Brad_Toughy Brad Toughy

Bah, we’re screwed in October.

http://riveraveblues bob

aj dealing could be no hitter

Johan Iz My Brohan

I’m blaming you when that first hit comes along.

CBean

Seriously.

/knocks on wood

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Not sure if serious.

Chip

Wow, he hasn’t missed his spot yet. If he can do this more often, he’s going to dominate

http://twitter.com/cephster Ross in Jersey

That’s the best his curve has looked in a long time.

PaulF

I know that Bad AJ can show up in any given inning, but that 1st was the best inning I’ve ever seen AJ throw.

Carlosologist

That was a strike? No way.

Greg

Ump is giving them the corners

Carlosologist

Jeterian double!

http://twitter.com/cephster Ross in Jersey

Who is this guy and what’s he done with Derek Jeter?

CBean

Woohoo! Captain!

Cy Pettitte

Jeterian double, the first in a loooong time

mike c

OMG jeter got a hit, and AJ didn’t give up one, somebody’s head just exploded

Esteban

STOP THE PRESSES!

http://twitter.com/j_yankees j_Yankees

Derek Jeter drives a ball and AJ has his best inning sicne game 2 of the WS.

Me thinks it’s going to be a good day.

http://twitter.com/cephster Ross in Jersey

Supposedly Matusz is 6’4 and 190. He sure doesn’t look like it on the mound.

JM

Swisher looked like he was starting his swing pretty late.

JM

I mean a little late

JM

Alright Kay, it wasn’t THAT down the middle.

Greg

It was down the middle

CBean

I’d like a Tex homerun today.

CBean

Alex HR then?

JM

Am I the only one who thinks that A-Rod changed his stance a little bit?

Carlosologist

At least we made Matusz throw some pitches.

/silverlining’d

Greg

I’m worrying a bit
With a team like the O’s if you dont attack quickly, they grow confident.

Also we can’t waste a leadoff double like that.

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

It was one inning. You’re worry already?

Greg

As I said, if you give this team confidence, they can bite you in the ass.

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

Do they Orioles not have confidence? And is a scoreless bottom of the first really going to be the deciding factor in this game? You’re not more concerned with Burnett than you are about the Orioles’ confidence?

Greg

It’s all tied together

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

With a team like the O’s if you dont attack quickly, they grow confident.

Wait, what?

Greg

Thye are essentially a spoiler team and the underdog. If you keep the underdog in it, they grow confident.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Because the Yankees didn’t score in that first inning didn’t give the Orioles any more hope than they already had of getting beat by the Yankees.

Slappy White

Wow that inning just kinda fizzled out… Swish has gotta move that runner

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

Jete, Swish and Tex all looked like they were seeing the ball well. Second time through the line up should be nice.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Dammit, I hate it when a lead off double doesn’t score. Grinds my gears.

Kit

You know what really grinds my gears? People in the 19th century. Why don’t they get with the freakin program? It’s called an automobile, folks. It’s much faster than a horse!

/Family Guy’d

Slappy White

Im still laughing

Jose the Satirist

Another thing that grinds my gears is when I can’t find the droids I’m looking for.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Heh.

whozat

I hate a pair of leadoff walks more.

CBean

Oi AJ.

Carlosologist

#throwstrikesdammit

JM

Here’s the Burnett we know and love.

Greg

Ump was giving him the corner pitch in the first and now is not giving it to him

whozat

He’s been missing by a wide, wide margin this inning

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

An umpire with an erratic strike zone? Whoa, that never happens.

Slappy White

Bad AJ can appear at any moment

Jose the Satirist

This good AJ/bad AJ meme is tiring.

/Kabak’d

CBean

AJ is a riddle wrapped inside a mystery

Slappy White

Im being forced to listen to John and Suzyn (that little dear) and they seem to have gotten even more annoying than I remember

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

I like John Sterling. Even though he’s…not good…I still like him. But Suzyn…different story.

Slappy White

Strangely enough, I like him too. Hes like a crazy lovable member of the family

swisher’s fauxhawk

Come on AJ, one to go.

JM

Take notes, Castillo.

cano is the bro

haha i laughed.

JM

Michael Kay emo quote of the day! “Just like me it will be washed away”

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

T-Rock’s gotta get that.

swisher’s fauxhawk

Atta boy.

cano is the bro

nice

CS Yankee

Two-face gets it done.

JM

Wanna know how I got these scars…

Cy Farnsworth

At least nobody’s writing messages in the sky to Sterling

CBean

Oh thank God!

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

Am I the only one who finds it hilarious that there’s a playoff like atmosphere for AJ vs. the Orioles?

Greg

Most of it comes from Buck’s presence

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

No.

whozat

Wait, who said that?

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Good job keeping that composure, AJ.

swisher’s fauxhawk

Might be thinking quite a bit far ahead with that question.

Cy Farnsworth

Wow, Buck Showalter’s kind of a dick, huh?

Fred Lemond

Yeah just stand and watch Posada

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Classic Posada at-bat right there. Kind of the backwards K…although Gardner is looking to take over that title when Jorge leaves.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Whoops…typo – KING of the backwards K.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

I’m pretty sure Gardner is the supreme ruler of the backwards K.

Pete

backwards K and forwards K are the same thing

Greg

Two times Yankee batters have had call strike three essentially in the middle of the plate

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

Gardy should have had that.

bonestock94

That’s a shame

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

The unnecessary “dive” hurts the Yanks there.

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

Agreed.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

…and no telling how that will mess with A.J.’s head. That’s all it usually takes to set him off.

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

He’ll give up 9 earned this inning.

Greg

Here we go again. You have to bury the O’s early. They are a dangerous team

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

The Yankees are wayyyyyy more dangerous than the Orioles.

Greg

A team with nothing to lose is very very dangerous

whozat

A team that’s actually good is more dangerous.

If this was the Rays, you’d be saying the same thing about them because they’re actually a good team. If it was the Mets, you’d be saying the same thing because they’re playing for bragging rights. If the Yanks did score some early runs, every time something went wrong you’d be saying that a team down by several runs is extra dangerous.

You’re just predicting disaster so you can sound smart if they lose. If they win, no one will remember because we’re happy they won. So there’s no downside for you.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

(stands and applauds)

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Then sits back down on the toilet.

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

Orioles on the board. We have no shot now.

Greg

I’m not saying we dont have a shot. I’m saying don;t take them lightly.

Kit

Not to be rude or anything by jumping in here, but I don’t think anyone is really taking them lightly because losing to spoilers (which they are) is not fun or helpful, but our team is the superior team all around– offensively and defensively. Thinking they’re that big of a threat is overestimating them though. Don’t let the Buck hype get to you.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Fun fact: the Yankees didn’t even bother with the scouting reports for this game.

(May not actually be true)

Kit

I just imagined Kevin Long sitting with his legs up on his office table being all “Scouting report? Nah, we good, son.”

Jose the Satirist

We need to attack lest the Orioles gain confidence.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Heh, let’s help Greg understand.

The Yankees have the best record in baseball. They also have the best offense, and one of the best pitching staffs. You score 5 runs, we’ll score 10. You score 6, we’ll score 10. You score 10, we’ll score 12. The Orioles have a decent offense, with a below average pitching staff. The Orioles should be and probably are worried about us.

whozat

Yes, it turns out that giving up runs makes it easier for the other team to win. There’s no special magic here.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Taking two called third strikes in the first two innings isn’t going to help the cause. This guy’s a carbon copy of Brett Cecil…they have to be swinging and thinking opposite field all day. Not thinking, “I’m jacking this next one out of the stadium.”

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

You know they’ve beaten him in the past? Like, three times this year? They know what to do.

Greg

Yes but in those starts, his ERA is 2.41

whozat

Are any of them doing that?

Brian Matusz is a highly-touted young lefty. Maybe he’s just doing his job well.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I don’t know…with Burnett on the mound and a lefty that has given the Yankees trouble, I like cutting off any run possible.

Little Bill

Against the Orioles it was the right move. It’s not like it’s Felix Hernandez on the mound.

Greg

For now, Tex made the right move. However we’ll see if we score, which I think we will.

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

You’re joking right? The double play was definitely the right move.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I think they’ll score, but I’ll feel a lot better if they somehow manage to push one across this inning. As I said, Brian Matusz is Brett Cecil basically. Can’t let him get in a groove or they’ll never touch him.

Greg

Agreed. And Matusz has pitched to a 2 ERA of late

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

/Abitrary endpoints’d

whozat

You can’t say “for now, it was the right move.”

You can only evaluate the decision with the information that was available at the time. Either it was right, because it’s early in the game and it killed any real possibility of a rally, or it was wrong because you think runs will be hard to come by today.

Slappy White

good recovery AJ

Slappy White

No matter how Danderous a team with nothing to lose is, The New York Yankees are more dangerous

/Standings’d

Slappy White

Danderous ?

/earlylabordaydrinking’d

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

Yes, I would much rather play the Rays, Twins, and Rangers down the stretch than the Mariners, Royals and Orioles.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Seriously, I’m just reading this thread and making horrified faces at some comments

CBean

I’d really like it if they didn’t give Matusz an easy inning.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Yeah, really. Get that pitch count up and get to that soft pen.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Guess not this inning. Jeter’s already has his hard hit ball today.

Greg

Jeter’s the only one who has the idea of hitting the other way

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

It’s true. There’s only one guy every day that ever occurs to. I chalk it up to Kevin Long who should be reminding every batter every time up. What are we paying him for anyway? To help Granderson raise his average from .240 to .245?

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Oh Mr Sparkle, you are truly wonderful.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

You know why I can sympathize with Good AJ/Bad AJ? Because of my hair. Some days it’s Good Bexy’s Hair. Some days it’s Bad Bexy’s Hair. I have no idea why, but it’s annoying.

CBean

You’re very profound. :)

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

That is what I was trying for

yungsta

does your hair make as much as AJ when it’s bad?

Slappy White

I hope,for your sake, that Bad Bexy’s Hair, doesnt come around as much as Bad AJ

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

It does :(

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

It’s amazing how guys that top out in the high 80s consistently give the Yankees trouble. If Javy Vazquez pitched against them, he’d probably throw a no-hitter.

PaulF

Nah, Javy is right-handed

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

OK…a three hitter.

Sheepmeister

Speed isnt that big of deal, yes it helps, but movement and location are much more important at this level since most can hit a 95 mph rope in the middle of the plate.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

But power can overcome when your location or other pitches are slightly off. When a finesse guy loses his finesse, he’s done. Not that it applies here today, but I do think it’s a big deal. Especially for many change-up pitchers. A change-up off a 88 MPH fastball is not nearly as effective as one off a 94 MPH fastball.

larryf

Hopefully that was Jeet’s only gidp ball of the day…

yungsta

hahahahaha

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

He probably wasn’t paying attention and thought Cervelli’s line drive dropped in for a hit.

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

I’m the only two players in MLB history with 13 100 RBI seasons.

Slappy White

guess Im not the only one drinking

boogie down

DoTF Mini-Spoiler!

I know this doesn’t exactly pertain to this game, but I feel this must be shared. This is what Jesus did today in the first:

That’s a bold statement but yeah, they’re good, just in a rough patch.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

They’re in a slump, I don’t think they’re that bad. Though if Josh Hamilton is out, they’re not going much of anywhere in the playoffs.

Jose the Satirist

What does his injury do to his MVP chances?

Little Bill

They’re finished. And their manager better not come close to winning manager of the year. If the writers won’t vote for sure fire hall of famers because they used drugs then they should not vote for Ron Washington either. Robbie Cano is the MVP. Joe Girardi is manager of the year. CC is Cy Young.

Kit

I’m not sure if you’re serious…

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

After I read the last few sentences, I was sure it wasn’t serious. Then, I said ‘Wait, what?’

JohnnyC

I wouldn’t vote for Washington either but he used cocaine not roids or HGH.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Depends how long he’s out for. If it’s just a week or whatever, he’s still MVP. If he’s out until the playoffs, that has to really hurt his chances.

Kit

I agree with Bexy. It should all come down to how long he’s out. He’s had this injury before and it took him out for maybe a week or two (can’t remember), but he said it feels worse this time around.

Betty Lizard

13 games, I think.

Personally, I hate injuries to anyone. I love to win and I want to win ALWAYS ALL THE TIME but I hate it when players get injured because one of the joys of the game, after winning, is watching people who are good at what they do do things well.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

I heard “indefinitely.” And agreed here. Though I wouldn’t exactly cry if he was out for the series with the Yankees.

Betty Lizard

Sorry, I meant it was 13 games the last time. Who knows this time. (And yeah, I won’t be crying if he’s out if/when we play them.)

whozat

I love Cano’s ability to turn the DP

Mike HC

The Yanks seem to be great at turning two with our infield. Everyone has a strong and accurate arm, including Tex in that.

CBean

Tex is amazing! Very bendy.

Greg

This could end up being like the Bryan Bullington game in Kansas City.
Notice I said “could”

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Not entirely. Matusz is expected to do this, being a top prospect in baseball. Bullington is a cast off who got his first ML win.

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

::nods in agreement::

Pete

If it happens, i predicted it. If it doesn’t, I also predicted that.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

awesome comment is awesome

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Does anyone think Albaladejo will make the team out of spring training next season? I’m hoping he’ll get his chance, but the bullpen crunch is strong.

Mo-Robertson-Chamberlain(hopefully he goes back to the rotation, but that’s an argument for another day)-Aceves-Logan/Marte-(FA acquisition?). If the Yankees sign a FA, that leaves no spots for any other homegrown players who have proven themselves in Spring Training. There’s plenty of good relievers out there who’d be worth a million plus incentives.

Joaquin Benoit-Jesse Crain-Jason Frasor-JJ Putz-Jon Rauch-Koji Uehara etc. I’m forgetting a few guys, but do you think the Yankees will sign one of these guys, or go in-house? I’m guessing a FA, but who get’s DFA’d? Albaladejo will get claimen in a cocaine heartbeat, Logan too. Girardi likes two lefties anyways. Maybe Marte isn’t ready, leaving a spot for Albaladejo and a FA? Seems unlikely.

There’s certainly a logjam here, but the bullpen looks like a big strength for 2011.

Slappy White

WOW, Thats Alot

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

I think the Yankees might sign a FA reliever if the price is right, like the CHOP thing this year. Obviously it didn’t work out but it’s not like it cost a ton of money. They’ll mostly go in-house, I think.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

I’m just not sure if Albaldejo will ever get his chance. I’d hate for him to break out with a new organization.

http://twitter.com/Brad_Toughy Brad Toughy

Remember that Albaladejo’s made the Opening Day roster two of the three years Girardi’s been the manager. I’d think there’s a pretty good chance he gets a fair look next year, especially considering his 2010 campaign.

Rivera is a given, Robertson and Joba probably are solid locks as well and I expect Boone Logan will be back too. Can’t count on Marte being available given his injury history but I’m sure they’ll carry a long man. Wood probably won’t be back, but they’ll probably bring in some FA arm just to add bodies.

There’s space and opportunity for Albaladejo to grab a spot and he’s certainly made a good impression this season.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

You’re forgetting Aceves. Apparently, Marte is having minor shoulder surgery, so I’m sure he’d be good to go.

That only leaves one spot. There isn’t space or opportunity for Albaladejo. There’s a small sliver of hope he can crack the bullpen.

Greg

There we go!

Cy Pettitte

and we’re back in it, A-Rod crushed that one

CBean

YES!!!

Kit

ALEX! Welcome back, you beast (since I wasn’t around yesterday).

larryf

ARod can be downright MONTERIAN!!!!

Will (the other one)

“Monter-ous”?

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Wow, can y’all believe that’s his first HR since he returned from the DL? What a loser.

Slappy White

Sterling just said “He hit that one from here to there”…..Yes John , he sure did

larryf

What about Royce Ring as a lefty reliever?

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

If this is a reply fail: The Yankees have Marte and Logan for next season, so they’re set on the LOOGY market.

If this is not a reply fail: The Yankees probabaly won’t bring him up due to the need of a 40-man spot. Although, if marte doesn’t come back in time for the playoffs(which seems likely), then I could see Ring in the playoffs depending on who we’re playing against.

Carlosologist

So I hear A-Rod homered. I pick the wrong times to go shower.

Slappy White

Never apologize for good hygiene

Chris

Why is the magic number picture still 17?

Carlosologist

Chicago leapfrogged Boston in the WC standings, so everything is the same.

http://www.twitter.com/jordan_smed JGS

Because the White Sox moved ahead of Boston.

Chris

Dang… I missed that.

Apparently all the prognosticating about the Sox still being alive was talking about the wrong Sox.

Kit

I laughed a little.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Seriously, everyone acts like the Twins are a given to win the ALC. I do think they’re better than the White Sox, but the White Sox have a better chance of making the playoffs than the Red Sox do right now.

Greg

And Aj gives the run right back

Vinny the Bull

Way to get Roberts, nice play.

Cecala

What goes through the minds of the creators of the WB Mason commercials? Do they honestly think they are good and/or funny?

JohnnyC

AJ’s the perfect guy if we went to a six-man rotation…perfect way-back end of the rotation starter.

mike c

how long did it take you to come up with that zinger?

JohnnyC

What’s it to you? Don’t like my jokes, go back to reading your Archie comics.

This is all sorts of awesome. If I were the opposing manager, I would have bunted him to his doom.

Jose the Satirist

Breaking news: The New York Mets have given Bill Lee a three year, 21 million dollar contract to shore up their rotation.

Greg

The Spaceman?

http://www.twitter.com/jordan_smed JGS

He’d be better than Ollie

Carlosologist

Hey… I wrote this. :p

Jose the Satirist

I know. I’m just an algorithm that posts comments from other people.

whozat

Did they think it was Cliff Lee, or (correctly) believe that he’s better than several of the in-house options they have right now?

James A

Cervelli with the first Yankee walk
didnt see that coming

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

And a good battle to get it.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Cervelli’s actually been producing of late.

http://www.mystiqueandaura.com/ JMK

He’ll make up for that with a few pass balls and an 0-fer streak.

Fistpumps and childlike enthusiasm however, will continue unabated.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

That strike one has been a ball all day. Nice time to change your mind ump.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Man, this is set up for the classic Gardner strikeout on a high fastball.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

You are wrong, Mr. Strong, you and your socialistic throng.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

…or not. Why couldn’t Wigginton butcher that one as he does so many others? Oh, well.

Cecala

Mr. Sparkle, you never smile!

http://www.twitter.com/jordan_smed JGS

Nice try, fishbulb

http://yanksdraftsandprospects.blogspot.com/ Jake H

Can Jeter come thru with a hit?

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

It’s too bad Jeter has already had his hit for today.

CBean

I’m just excited about a starter going beyond 5 without having killed all our chances. Even more so when that starter is AJ. /crossing fingers

CBean

oops. didn’t mean to post that as a reply

Jose the Satirist

Over/under Jeter finishes with a .272 batting average.

whozat

.272/.333/.400?

Cecala

If he gets a hit here over if he doesn’t under

Reggie C.

Over. DJ only needs to get hot for a 6-7 game period to bump the BA past .272.

http://www.mystiqueandaura.com/ JMK

Not-so-bold prediction: weak groundout to SS.

Cy Pettitte

3rd base, so close

whozat

So close.

Cecala

I’m not even mad, that’s amazing

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I’m mad…but not surprised.

Greg

They’re wasting chances

whozat

Clearly, the O’s confidence is just too much for them.

http://www.mystiqueandaura.com/ JMK

I was pretty close. It was a groundout near shortstop. Wasn’t hit too weakly though.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

At least they got the pitch count up. Matusz might have one more inning left.

Greg

True, but IMO they have to win this game becuase they lost yesterday. Dont want to head into a losing streak.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

LOL between you and Mr. Sparkle this game thread is too much

Greg

We’re being realistic fans.

Chip

Wow I didn’t know realistic was another way of saying pessimistic as hell

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

predicting doom and gloom at every turn = realistic

Greg

If you prepare for the worst, you are not surprised when it happens and it doesn’t happen, you feel great.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Guess what? That’s what I do too. Somehow I don’t think the sky is falling at every turn, though.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

The Yankees are two and a half games up. Loosen up a bit.

Greg

Tell that to the Padres

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

The Padres were playing over their heads for most of the season. Now they are not. The Yankees are a much better team than the Padres, and comparing the two isn’t fair.

Greg

All I’m saying is that the season can turn like that. Is it going to do that. Probably not. I just find it important to beat the teams you are supposed to beat.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

The Yankees can lose ten straight games and still be in a good position for the playoffs. Yes, beating the teams that you’re supposed to beat helps a lot.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

…how about the 2000 Yankees? Is that a close enough comparison your highness?

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

the World Series-winning 2000 Yankees?

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

the Yankees that went 3-17 to finish the year and would never have seen the postseason had not the rest of the league been so weak. Sorry, didn’t know you were only 10 years old.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

I’m actually 23 and I’m well aware of that fact. It’s just a terrible example to forecast doom when you’re using a team that won the goddamn World Series.

Slappy White

The 2000 NEW YORK YANKEES….WORLD CHAMPIONS

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Wait, what?

You know.. nevermind.

Kit

Fun fact: The Yankees are not the Padres.

Slappy White

beat me….great minds

Slappy White

The Yankees are NOT the Padres

whozat

The fact that you consider the two teams even remotely comparable shows that you’re not being a realistic fan. At all.

Carlosologist

The difference between us and the Padres: We have an offense.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Fine…when they clinch. I’m sorry if I hate to lose…ever.

Chris

Yeah, it would be horrible if the team fell to 8-2 in their last 10 games. Nothing less than 9-1 is acceptable.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

At least that was a good at-bat?

nathan

He is worth 5/100 just for that AB. // jk

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Now we’re set up for the A.J. implosion. Probably figures the Yanks won’t get a big hit for him, so why not just go in the tank?

nathan

Wait… what?

whozat

You’re just like Greg. If he does, YOU CALLED IT YOU’RE SO SMART! If he doesn’t, he barely held it together, so you’re still kind of right, and ZOMG what’s going to happen when he has to face a REAL offense!??!

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Take a closer look. This team is not such a great team. They haven’t really hit in a long time…

If ARod comes back, so what? He has been in 2008 form all year anyway. I don’t care about his empty RBI total…he’s been disappointing to say the least.

Granderson is useless. Pay no attention to the hype around his so called “turn around” after Kevin Long “fixed” him. Before his 3-hit game in Toronto the other night, he was only hitting .282 since “the fix” and raised his batting average from .239 to .244. Not really much of a change. He’s pretty much an automatic out, yet continues to play every day.

I stand by what I wrote. Completely accurate at the time also, taken out of context here…a couple of weeks later. Quote the whole thing if you’re going to try to pull stuff like that. Very clearly, I simply present the possibility that maybe the Yankees are NOT as good as everyone believes. There was a lot of scuttlebutt in 2008 about how the team was too good to not make the postseason. In retrospect, they were a weak team. It’s entirely possible the same thing COULD happen again this year…or next.

The point is not that I don’t think the Yankees are a playoff team. They are. Or else, why would I have been counting down magic numbers in mid-August or counting Boston out back then? It’s that you never get a better picture of a team than when you look at them after the season. Just like the girlfriend that’s no good for you, but you don’t realize it until after you break up. Then you wonder, “Why didn’t I see that before?” Hindsight is 20/20 for a reason.

Greg

Listen, Don’t offend him. He has an opinion, as do I. We’re not idiots.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Shut up.

/you’d

Slappy White

I think /you’d is my favorite reply…it says it all while saying nothing….nice job

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

?

When Girardi pulled Javy for Moseley in that game against the Jays, a few people made innocuous “Wow, that was dumb” comments. No “FIRE GIRARDI!!!!” or the like. And he said “Shut up” to all of them. Then he got whiny about people being rude to him.

Slappy White

I know. I seriously think /you’d is hilarious

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Ahhh, I thought you were trying to be snippy to me for not much of a reason.

Slappy White

I know better. Slappy aint stupid

wish I could make that little smiley face but I dont know how

Cecala

This one?

?

Cecala

?*

Cecala

Nevermind, it doesn’t accept special characters and I look retarded now

He’s under 80 pitches in the sixth inning while allowing two runs. If our offense could pick him up a bit, he could easily walk away with a win.

whozat

Uh, now that they’ve allowed Pie to become top-full of confidence, he’ll clearly steal his way all the way home.

Jose the Satirist

The confidence the Orioles have is palpable. The Yankees would be wise to adopt the play like you have nothing to lose attitude.

Chris

You’re right. I wish the Yankees would play more like the Orioles. That way the Yankees would have the best record in baseball instead of being mired in 5th place in the division.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

I think he’s poking fun at Greg.

Chris

Oh. I can’t sort out the jokes from the real stupid people.

Reggie C.

Is a Nick Markakis-type player the best case scenario for Slade heathcott ?

whozat

I have to think that Heathcott’s best-case involves him sticking in CF, as opposed to moving to a corner like Markakis.

Slappy White

Saw Heathcott play earlier this year….he’s really small, so I dont think he’ll have power,but he can hit and cover ALOt of ground in CF

whozat

As in he’s short? Because that could be an issue. If it’s muscle you’re worried about, I have to think he’ll put on meat over the next 4 years and develop more pop as he hits his mid-20s. Isn’t he like 19?

Slappy White

short he is

/yoda’d

whozat

Huh. Well, Swish isn’t even 6 ft tall, so it’s not like it CAN’T be done. And if he’s a CFer, I figure 15-20 HR pop is plenty. That’s all Markakis has really shown. I think Heathcott will K more than Nick, though.

JohnnyC

Fun facts: Heathcott is 6’1″ and 190 lbs. Markakis is 6’1″ and 200 lbs. Grady Sizemore is 6’2″ and 200 lbs. Maybe Slade was playing in a trench when you saw him play?

Slappy White

I stood beside him. Im 5’10″….He aint 6’1″
Please dont get me wrong ,I was very impressed with him

Carlosologist

I think Slade could have moar dingerz than Markakis. But they are pretty decent comparables.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

I’d say closer to Johnny Damon, with plus defense in CF, though. Maybe a little more power too.

whozat

I dunno, Johnny was always pretty good at avoiding the K. I think it might be a stretch to think Heathcott would ever cut his strikeouts that much.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

He’s 19. The K rate will come down, trust me.

whozat

Sure, sure. But Johnny usually managed a roughly 1:1 K:BB ratio (more like 1.1:1, but close). That’s really asking a lot in terms of improved strike zone control. Like, I’d be very happy with about 100:60 from Heathcott

PaulF

I hate the Orioles for pushing Matusz back to today. The Yankees are at home and put out the best lineup they’ve put out in weeks, but they’ve scored one run.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I hate the Orioles period. Always have…always will.

Kit

…Why? The weakest team in the AL East too weak for you?

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I’m not 23 years old. I remember when the Orioles beat the Yankees all the time. Yep. I hold grudges.

Kit

I’m not 23 either. I’m 22.

Kit

Meh. I’m sure he’ll tire out and get hit badly eventually. If the game stays close and they get to the bullpen, I think they have a fighting chance (as always).

CBean

Dammit

pat

Hahaha shit. Nice pitch

whozat

Wow, that swing was AWFUL. Nice pitch.

Esteban

Oooh Montero’s up in his game

larryf

He will be SO exciting every time up in a few years.

whozat

Up high? Really?

Mike HC

I think you have to seriously consider pitching CC and Pettitte every three days in the playoffs if necessary. AJ, Javy and Hughes are all suspect.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I think if they skip a Hughes start and really limit his pitch count he might be OK for the postseason. I really think he’s hit a wall more than anything.

ZZ

What evidence is there that it has anything to do with hitting a wall?

He has had the same problems for 2 months, long before he came close to his innings high, because of the emphasis he has put on his fastball this season.

Chris

In his last 9 starts, Hughes has allowed more than 3 runs 2 times. His problem has been not giving the team length, but I don’t care about that in the playoffs. The Yankees have a great bullpen now, so they can cover the last 4 innings if Hughes can give them 5 innings/2 runs or 6 innings/3 runs.

ZZ

Agreed. Hughes gives his team a chance to win nearly everytime out. That is all you can hope for in the playoffs.

Fatigue is just a lazy excuse for his bad outings instead of examining them in itself.

Cy Pettitte

2 pitcher rotation through the playoffs, for the third spot just piece together a game from Logan, Wood, Joba, D-Rob, Albie, Wood, Nova and Mo

James A

I can empathize with Burnett because when I play wiffle ball im the exact same pitcher
power fastball, hard slider, no idea where its going, cant get a consistent changeup, capable of throwing a no hitter but also of getting knocked out in the second

ZZ

Do you have a potential plus changeup and two-seamer you are too stubborn to throw?

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Are you getting paid millions to play wiffleball? Do you have nothing else to do in life except work on your wiffleball pitching? I know you’re joking, but I find it hard to laugh when it comes to Burnett.

James A

I know, AJ and I are in slightly different life situations
He should develop the submarine riser I have to get righties out though

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Giradi is such an idiot for using up Robertson, Wood, and Chamberlain in yesterday’s game that we probably had no chance of winning, instead of using Mitre or Gaudin to soak up some innings.

Wait, what?

jonathan

How bad is Diaz today? He’s called 20 pitches at least 6 inches off the plate both ways.

Fun fact: I’ve watched about two minutes of this game. I am listening to 101.1’s Top 1000 Songs Countdown. Let’s all have a sing-a-long to “Hotel California.”

Esteban

On a dark desert highway…

JohnnyC

What the heck is the warm smell of colitas?

seimiya

I don’t know, but it’s rising up through the air.

Esteban

Or Por el camino del desierto..

Greg

All right. Let’s go.

Greg

Here’s our chance

CBean

Dear A-Rod, please repeat that last at-bat!

Nintendo vs Sega

Come on Arod!

Cy Pettitte

How’s the O’s bullpen been looking recently?

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

Without looking it up I’m going to say terrible.

http://twitter.com/j_yankees j_Yankees

I’d be awesome if i could replace 2 out of 4 ‘Bad AJ’ starts with this ‘Ok AJ’

Magnus Stultus

Is Arod getting ready to Launch an A-BOMB , part deux?

Nintendo vs Sega

100

Greg

That’s fine.

James A

Very productive AB from A-rod
Buck is pulling a Grady Little, on a slightly smaller stage and scale

CBean

Productive out at least! and 14 seasons with 100 RBI!

mike c

bahahaha

CBean

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carlosologist

TIE GAME

Suck it Baltimore!

Kit

Hahaha…

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

That was like…really bad.

Greg

Buck will pissed at that

jonathan

could Cano have made it to 2nd if he ran hard?

larryf

of course!

Chris

Not likely.

larryf

Swish can’t run. Robbie can but dogs it. Should have been at second.

Magnus Stultus

that’s a very Thamesque play by Pie.

http://twitter.com/j_yankees j_Yankees

Last place teams do that right there.

VO

I came home right as Teixeira singled, so you can all thank me for this. How’d Burnett look?

Carlosologist

Burnett was OK. It was like his start against the A’s, except with less strikeouts and more walks.

Cecala

Alright, not good but not bad

Nintendo vs Sega

Nice D!

whozat

Oh, those confident-playing orioles. The Yanks are SCREWED.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Also depressed that the Yanks tied it up.

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

Izturis had nothing to lose…

/Greg’d

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

This is what happens when you let the Orioles take the lead!!! They attack – oh wait

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Damn, we tied it up. You must be miserable.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

You’re the one that must be miserable, actually, as you seem pretty determined to prove we’re not that good.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Never, ever said that. Now you’re just making stuff up.

Greg

Ok I deserve that. I was playing pessimistic to avoid dissapointment
I apologize

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Better not play pessimist, lest the 10-15 year-olds ’round here will jump on you and pull up threads from three years ago…that were accurate by the way.

Kit

Seriously, man, there’s no need to be rude like that. You can be as accurate as you want and if people disagree, they will let you know. Let it go, man.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I agree…now when you can get bexarama and whozat to realize that, we’ll have a nice discussion going. God forbid you point out a truth once in a while…like the fact that the Yankees finished the 2000 season 3-15 and never would have made the postseason if the rest of the league wasn’t so weak. Which is why you never take any game or lead for granted. If pointing out facts like that gets some people to jump all over you as a pessimist, then I can give it right back. It isn’t rude. It’s some people being able to dish it out but not take it.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

You didn’t say “the 2000 Yankees finished 3-15, which wouldn’t have got them to the playoffs today,” which is a totally fair point. You just dropped “2000 Yankees!” Who, you know, won the WS.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Fair point. I assumed most people would remember the very disturbing end to that regular season.

Kit

I think you’re missing the bigger picture there in Bexy and whozats argument. They won and that’s what mattered. It doesn’t matter how it happened, what matters is that it did happen. And it’s not like anyone takes any leads for granted. I don’t think I hear anyone other than the chicken littles complaining about the 2.5 game lead or any lead for that matter. We’re appreciative. We love our team. We have confidence in them. The fact that people are flailing their arms over small shit is annoying, and on top of that, being rude to the other members is only going to increase the amount of shit you get.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

And you also had a post about how we’re not that good a team, that was so awful it will stick in my mind forever.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Not good “at the time.” Again, maybe lost in context. I believe this is a very strong team IF the offense does what it should. In August, it did not. You probably missed my dozens of posts that always made it clear that the team wasn’t hitting “at the time” and true, it had to make you wonder which team was the real Yankees. The solid hitting July team or the weak hitting August team. I simply posed the question.

As if the age of the posters had any relevance to the knowledge of the posters.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

I have been a Yankee fan for (insert large number of years) is generally a tip-off that a comment is awful, I’ve found

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

Yeah, or “how long have you been a Yankee/baseball fan?”

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I’m sorry, but there is a genuine difference in the mentality to those who sat through both the “Stottlemyre Years” and the “Mattingly Years.”

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

Different mentality does not make you any smarter or make younger posters comments any less relevant.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Sorry my parents didn’t have sex sooner

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

And, I can guarantee you there are plenty of “Jeter years” people with the same mentality as “Stottlemyre Years” and the “Mattingly Years” people.

Some people are optimsitic, some are pessimistic, regardless of age or the era of Yankee baseball in which they grew up.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

If you lived through the shitty years for so long, wouldn’t you be happier now? The team has like a billion straight winning seasons and since 1995 has made the playoffs every year except 2008. I don’t like when the Yankees lose at all, either, but what else do you want? You’re not going to go 162-0 and you’re not going to win the WS every year. You’d think someone who lived through the worst of it wouldn’t be whining about A-Rod’s 2008.

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

I agree. If lived and cheered through all the horrible yeasrs, you think you would have a lot more perspective when the best team in baseball, who happen to be defending World Series Champions were struggling within a game.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Actually, it’s being able to savor and appreciate the winning. If you’re 20 years old, you’ve known nothing but playoff baseball (outside of 2008.) Older fans that sat through 90 loss seasons and awful pitching realize it’s not always going to be like this.

Never said I’m not “happier” with winning teams. Anyone would be a fool not to be and actually, the question you posed makes very little sense. I guess it’s one of those things that’s hard to explain to someone who may not have lived through it. There is no way to quantify it. It just is.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Yes, I completely agree. But God forbid you show the slightest tinge of pessimism around here. I never jump on the blind optimists for how they are, so I don’t understand why the pessimists in this forum are so vehemently attacked.

Kit

Just because some of us grew up with the “win, win, win,” mentality of the 90’s doesn’t mean we’re not realistic about the team or well versed in how baseball is played.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Maybe not yourself, but some others you really have to wonder about.

Magnus Stultus

Because what we said and do on this blog have tangible effects on the team ?

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

You mean when I yell “THROW STRIKES” at the TV they don’t actually hear me ;_;

Kit

Very big of you to step up and apologize, but you should know that if people disagree, they will express their feelings. And if you say something others know or feel is wrong, they will correct you. Don’t take it personally, it’s just how conversations go.

larryf

Posada with the most heavily pine tar’d bat on the Yanks. I now know why his helmet is so gnarly. It is full of pinetar from his hand..

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

He opts for the pine tar over the gloves.

larryf

Has anyone commented on ARod’s new stance with the bat? He rests it on his shoulder like Swish now. Cut down on all the unnecessary movement until it is time to pull the trigger.

/Long’d

http://riveraveblues bob

aj better be out of this game

seimiya

Nope.

CBean

His count is low and he’s ok. No reason to go to the BP just yet.

larryf

Funny how Thames is such an awful outfielder but he gets to play both LF and RF…

whozat

Given that they’ve made significant effort to keep him out of the field, your comment doesn’t make a lot of sense. He’s one of their hottest bats, especially against lefties, and Swisher and Kearns are both hurting.

larryf

I’m saying they can keep his bat in there and out of the field. The ball seems to find its way to him out there. His arm sucks.

ZZ

This is a really bad decision to leave AJ in here. He has looked horrible again today. His stuff has been extremely poor and he is very lucky to be facing such a bad team. This start has not been a positive step in anyway for him, because of how bad his stuff looked again.

Girardi is prioritizing getting AJ “straight” over the win today, because AJ right now is a terrible option in comparison to those pitchers in the bullpen.

Chip

Ummmmmmm, two of the runs scored on sac flies and another scored on a bloop single. I’m very satisfied with how he’s pitched today

ZZ

Then you are not examining how he has pitched today and are solely wedded to the results. You are completely ignoring the context of his numbers. Evaluating his start based on that is extremely short-sighted.

He has pitched horrible today. He has looked the same exact way he has in the past starts he has struggled in. The only difference is that the Orioles have completely bailed him out, because of how awful they are.

Chip

Pitching horrible is giving in and not being able to get outs. He had what, one hard hit ball off of him today? That’s not horrible. Not ace-like, but not horrible

ZZ

You can think that, but you would be wrong because again you are focusing on the results and ignoring the context. All you did was rephrase your original statement.

His stuff was no different than it was in the many starts in June and August when the results were awful.

whozat

Well…there have been a lot of deep counts, he’s walked more than a few, including starting at least one inning by walking two straight.

So…all told, kind of a mediocre start. That said, it’s absolutely right that getting AJ right is more important than that run was.

ZZ

There is no evidence he is ever going to “get right”

It is all blind faith at this point and costing the team wins.

Greg

Interesting strategy

http://riveraveblues bob

what the fuck get aj out

Magnus Stultus

agree.

Slappy White

Things I know to be true:
1-The Yankees are better than the Orioles
2-The Red Sox SUCK
3-The Yankees are NOT the Padres
4-Its better to be in first and play bad than to be in fifth and play good

seimiya

2: The Red Sox would be first if not for their injuries. I saw this on MLBN.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

I have heard a rumor they have FIVE ACES.

Kit

Not one, not two, but FIVE.

Maris61

can’t this guy hold a freakin’ lead?

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

No.

Greg

We didn’t have the lead.

Maris61

well if he did he couldn’t hold it

Maris61

keep it tied?

Greg

What do we think?

Chip

That you need to chill, that’s what we think

Esteban

that wasn’t too necessary either.

I think putting a reliever in to face BRoberts probs would have been a better idea than leaving AJ in

Chip

I would have been fine with them putting somebody in but I’m not going to freak out and overreact about it

Magnus Stultus

Terrible job by AJ! This the second time in the game when the offense ties the game, AJ gives right back.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I’d hate to see what Brian Roberts would be doing with a healthy back.

larryf

go back to the lollipop guild?

Cy Pettitte

AJ stop giving up runs right after we get them back please

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Pessimist.

Chip

Ahhhhhh, confirmation that AJ is horrible!! Bloop singles mean he’s no good!!! I’m so riiiiight for being pessimistic!!! Play like the Orioles!!!!

http://riveraveblues bob

he had 2 hits already what the fuck

jonathan

Damn Nick. That was a miserable throw.

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

I fucking hate Burnett.

Magnus Stultus

I will second that, he is fucking loser. To think we will have to endure three more year of this suckitude.

bonestock94

Another rare game from Burnett. Not quite mediocre AJ but definitely not good AJ either. I hope we at least get this in the playoffs.

ZZ

You won’t if he pitched like he did today. He would have gotten crushed by a playoff offense with the way his stuff looked.

bonestock94

Considering he’s gotten hammered by offenses of teams like the dbacks and white sox this season I won’t bitch too much about today.

JohnnyC

How does it boost AJ’s confidence to let him pitch long enough to potentially lose the game? 6 innings, tie game, that’s positive. 7 innings, on the losing end, not so much.

bonestock94

He won’t lose.

JohnnyC

I said potentially. Calm down, o.k.?

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Another pessimist.

bonestock94

Who isn’t calm? Take your own advice, ok?

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

It should be enough to boost his confidence that he was still pitching in the 7th inning. That’s counted as a quality start by his standards.

ZZ

That was really a horrible decision by Girardi. If the Yankees lose this game, Girardi will be very much responsible for it. Baseball managers really don’t have that much of an impact on the game, but Girardi has had a huge impact today by ignoring how terrible AJ looked today.

bonestock94

By “huge impact” do you mean 1 run down against the powerhouse Orioles?

ZZ

Yes. It doesn’t matter what the final score is. Girardi was hugely responsible for that run in the 7th inning. AJ probably should not have even pitched the 6th inning either, so that is another run.

You can’t manage like that. It is the Orioles, so who cares if AJ gives up runs?

larryf

but yet he has hooked Nova and Javy in the 5th inning several times….

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Hey, they’re into the O’s pen now. Not exactly their strong point.

Nick87

Not to mention having Thames in the outfield who has cost us more runs out there today then scored and not taking out AJ not many good decisions today by Girardi.

CBean

So is Moeller in for Cervelli later?

Carlosologist

Puma has excellent on-base skills.

pat

How is Gardner THIS bad at bunting?

pat

Oops wrong spot.

JohnnyC

Because he probably thinks he’s Carl Crawford.

larryf

Greg Golson: BJ Upton lookalike

Cy Pettitte

Those were some ugly bunts BG

Slappy White

How the hell does a guy with Gardys speed not know how to bunt ?

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

A while back, the YES broadcasters were talking about how he was even worse in the minors and that he had to work a LOT on his bunting skills. Scouts told him there would be no way he makes the majors if he didn’t learn to bunt.

well i’m kind of tired of defending AJ. i really don’t care if we overpay for cliff lee this offseason.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Did your keyboard wear out? To be fair to A.J. (gasp!), the offense hasn’t exactly had many shining moments today. They’ve wasted a few opportunities. You have to take advantage of those when A.J. actually keeps you in the game.

It’sATarp

i will say it’s not completely his fault, but he is one of the most frustrating pitchers to watch. He couldn’t cleanly get through one inning aside from the first. The o’s them selves made a lot of mistakes on the base path which got aj out of innings. But for the most part he let a lot of guys on and into RISP…and it’s just really annoying to watch as a fan. i’ll still support AJ when he pitches but man is he making it hard.

Betty Lizard

But watching AJ pitch will make you a better person.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

That’s OK. It’s the first time I’ve come close to “defending” him. I can’t stand him.

Cy Pettitte

wonder what kind of contract he ends up getting if he doesn’t come back strong from the back problems this season

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I doubt it will hurt him to much. Although it’s likely he won’t be pitching into the 8th and 9th every start. I’m sure that’s what many people will blame for his health problems. It’s hard to argue with that.

http://www.mystiqueandaura.com/ JMK

It would take a LOT of money to overpay Cliff Lee. Dude’s fucking good. I’d prefer a 4/80 but I think 5/100 is more likely. Is that an overpay? I still don’t know, but probably.

It’sATarp

depends on what he’s going to do. 20 mil wouldn’t be a major overpay if he continues to be a 6+ war pitcher he has been for the past 3 years.

jonathan

There is no excuse for Gardner not knowing how to bunt.

larryf

agree. He has not learned to soften his hands to deaden the ball. he will.

JohnnyC

He’s only 27.

jonathan

only 27? are you kidding me? there’s no excuse for a high school player not knowing how to bunt. It’s easy to learn, and easy to do. Every single player has the skill to do it.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Especially for the type of player he is. Also, the fact that his bunting skills were specifically targeted for improvement in the minors. You’d think he’d really work to improve his bunting for the fact it would get him a couple more hits every year. Who knows. Maybe he just can’t do it?

JohnnyC

I was being sarcastic. Actually, it’s even more stultifying for Gardner in particular not to know how to bunt since his entire game is speed. As I said earlier, he’s under the delusion he’s developing into Carl Crawford.

larryf

His arm is already better. As for a foot race, I’ll bet on Brett. Next year 476K vs 15-18 million.

I’ll take Brett.

MRD

There is no excuse for what Joe did that inning. Asking Gardner to bunt after a lead-off walk is always questinable, more so when we know Gardner is not strong in this area. Then the guy thrown out stealing. A wasted half inning. I like Girardi, but that was a bad inning for him.

vin

That was a nice throw by Wieters. You know who else is a big catcher? Montero.

MRD

Montero’s arm is the one area of his defensive game that’s the strongest. It’s the rest.

Esteban

Girardi unleashed the Moeller!

/Ross in New Jersey’d

(no shots)

Kit

I hate the fact that Pie’s name has a strange pronunciation. I was looking forward to heckling him even if he can’t hear me. Boo.

Esteban

This is America!! Speak American!

Kit

Que?

Esteban

That pronunciation is not ‘strange’ in spanish. Though I agree, it’s very tempting to call him pie (the pastry)

Kit

I’m not an expert on last names, but I’m assuming since it’s French it’s pretty rare in the Dominican Republic. I speak Spanish and the pronunciation is still weird to me.

Esteban

Isn’t it just pee-eh, like foot. That’s the only one I’ve heard.

Kit

Yeah, you’re right about the pronunciation. I just think its weird.

Esteban

Though it could be a Hatian name, definitely.

Kit

Yeah. I think it is French/Haitian. My mom should know, but she’s in the living room being angry at the Mets.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

But Ollie’s pitching! How can you be mad when Ollie’s pitching!

Kit

I laughed a little. My grandfather actually flipped me off earlier so I’m not going to mess with them anymore.

Magnus Stultus

French ?

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

With a name like Pie…no matter how it’s pronounced, he has to expect some creative heckling.

Slappy White

OK, this is how its gonna go
We hold em in the 8th
We hit a 2 run homer in the bottom of 8th
Mo saves it in the 9th
We Cook Out
Happy Labor Day

Wow, the bitching is incredible today. 6 more outs to score 1 run against the Orioles, not impossible.

Carlosologist

This times like 2000000. I don’t know why everybody’s going nuts.

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

And if they lose they fall back into 1st place with the best record in baseball.

Oh the horror.

whozat

You homer!

Magnus Stultus

wow, you constantly bitch about others bitching , that is also quite incredible.

bonestock94

Proof? I don’t see myself bitching elsewhere.

ZZ

The story of this game is not the final score. The Yankees are facing the worst team in MLB. The result of this game tells you very little about how the Yankees played today. You can gleam very little reliable information from the results of this game.

Being happy go lucky over the results of this game, if the Yankees win, will be even more shortsighted than the “bitching.”

The story of this game is that AJ has looked no different today. He looked awful once again. This was not a positive step for AJ. If anything it was a step back, because with so little season left he has to be making improvements.

http://www.mystiqueandaura.com/ JMK

He was mediocre, not awful. We’ve seen awful this year. How can you possibly say this qualified?

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Agreed, he gave the Yankees a chance to win, that’s all I’m asking for now.

ZZ

I have explained this several times and just in my post you responded to.

The pure results of this game tell you very, very little about how AJ pitched today. You have to be able to look beyond the results and evaluate AJ’s stuff in itself. You have to be able to look past the opponent and be able to recognize what real hitters would be doing to AJ’s stuff today.

Do not be fooled by the results today. His stuff was awful. It would have gotten crushed by legitimate offenses.

Don’t the people on this site constantly bash ERA and purely “results based statistics?”

If you are going to bash those things, you can’t then turn around and say well he was not awful today because the results were not that bad.

ZZ

You guys can’t have it both ways. It is completely hypocritical.

http://www.mystiqueandaura.com/ JMK

I read your post – don’t get snippy. Did his stuff look great? No, not really. He was around 93, if memory serves and his curve was inconsistent. Was it awful? No, it wasn’t. He got into a few jams, worked out of them and had a few hard hit balls. But a good amount of balls really weren’t hit very hard and fell in.

ZZ

What does AJ’s velocity have to do with it? Velocity is never the issue with him.

The amount of hard hit balls is another way of saying the results. The Orioles bailed him out and the amount of hard hit balls plays into that because of the amount of bad pitches they swung at.

ZZ

His velocity btw was 92.35 on average today. About the same he has been all season. A little lower.

He maxed out at 94. He averaged 94 all last season.

His stuff was awful today the same way it has been.

bonestock94

After this season my expectations for AJ are nil, I don’t expect drastic (or any) changes. At this time, I just want a W for the Yanks and an L for the Rays.

Magnus Stultus

AJ toes the rubber on most days with one plus offering , his fastball. That, IMO, is simply not gonna cut it against this year’s playoff competitions.

Oh, btw, he also sucks.

bonestock94

There’s no way he isn’t in the playoff rotation though, just gotta hope for the best and/or hope our offense powers their way through the opposition.

Magnus Stultus

Realistically, no, He will keep his rotational spot in the playoff. But I am assuming he will have a very short leash from Joe G.

bonestock94

Yea, probably. I’d imagine we’ll have Nova, Javy, and Mitre out of the pen so it won’t be the end of the world if AJ shits the bed early.

Esteban

No, I think reading too much into one game would be the wrong thing to do. Bad teams beat good teams, it happens all the time in baseball.

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

Agreed. It’s 1 of 162, whether they win 20-0 or lose 20-0.

bonestock94

..and that, I’m not about to apply the results of one game to the rest of the season and playoffs.

ZZ

I just said who wins or means very little.

I said the story of the game is AJ. How does this respond to my post at all?

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

this list has “Crocodile Rock” over “Stairway to Heaven,” it should die

/OT’d

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

7 innings 4 ER, isn’t terrible. Not great, not terrible, serviceable. The Yankees offense should be able to come through on this effort most times. This game isn’t lost yet. The last bunt was idiotic, sure, but we’re still in it.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I don’t know if the bunt was idiotic…just poorly executed.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

Brett Gardner is not a good bunter. Brett Gardner is a good hitter. Therefore, Brett Gardner should be hitting in every situation rather than bunting. If that was Gregg Golson up there, then I don’t have a problem with bunting.

http://www.twitter.com/TomZig Tom Zig

Shouldn’t you have Golson run first, since you know, that’s what he is here for?

whozat

This. Absolutely, Gardner SHOULD be better at bunting. It would behoove him to figure that shit out ASAP. That said…know your players. Right now, he’s bad at it. So, right now, making him bunt lowers the chances of something good happening, as opposed to letting him take his AB as per usual.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I agree with you on Girardi’s assessment of skills. I’m a big hit-and-run guy myself. Especially since Gardner mostly hits grounders and fly balls…few liners. Good situation for a hit-and-run. I just think I’d heap more blame on Gardner for what was just an awful bunt attempt. Yes, he’s bad, but that was worse than bad.

ZZ

Then stop trying to pretend you are an advanced thinking baseball fan with the criticisms of statistics like ERA.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

What? ER are indicative of how a pitcher performed. Obviously the less ER, the better. There’s no ‘pretending of advanced thinking baseball’ involved.

ZZ

It is pretending because you are ignoring all the other factors in the game and most important the factors the pitcher has “direct control over” which is one of the lines most posted on this blog.

The things AJ had direct over was not serviceable.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

He gave the Yankees a chance to win. Sure, the Orioles hit and walked him pretty good, but he got out of some jams for the most part. As long as he gives them a chance to win, which he did, then it’s a serviceable performance.

Examining a performance on what actually happened is fine. If AJ allowed 15 baserunners and allowed 2 runs, his performance was serviceable. No matter how many runs he should have given up, we’re focusing on performance.

ZZ

Then why is ERA constantly criticized in favor of FIP for those exact reasons?

Like I said above, can’t have it both ways.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

FIP is predictive, while ERA actually tells what happened. You can say someone pitched well in a game, but gave up 7 hits and 5 walks in 7 innings.

The player’s FIP will be high, but the ERA low.

You can have it both ways, if you use them properly. AJ’s FIP will be higher than his ERA, but does that take away from his performance on the field? No, it doesn’t.

ZZ

I was just using FIP as an example to prove a point. I know exactly what it measures.

I wasn’t evaluating AJ based on his FIP today. I was evaluating him based on his stuff.

My point was you can’t pretend to be enlightened by criticizing statistics like ERA and then when it comes to defending someone say well his ERA was not bad today. You are ignoring the other factors in the game.

The more important factors than his pure results. At least that is what I am told when reading this blog.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

It’s about his results. Sure, his stuff wasn’t on today, but he pitched well enough to keep them in them in the game. He pitched well in spite of his stuff.

ERA isn’t a great stat, it just tells what happened. That is all. Stop trying to analyze it more than what it is.

CBean

Come on Boone!

MRD

Switch-hitters are generally stronger from the right side than the left since all switch-hitters start as natural right-handed hitters.

Slappy White

NOT

MRD

Show me the percentages.

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

all switch-hitters start as natural right-handed hitters.

No need to look that one up, that makes no sense at all.

Slappy White

Dont really have time but I know ALL switch hitters didnt start out as natural right handers

MRD

And that’s correct. I left the word “all” in to get a reaction. The actuall number is something like 97% of switch-hitters are natural right-handed hitters. I leave it to you to figure out why.

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

So you lied to make Slappy White think? I get it, makes complete sense.

Wait, what?

Slappy White

People have been trying to make me think for years. It wont work

MRD

Lied?

I did not have sex with that woman! (Waves finger at camera.)

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

Are you sure? Maybe you misremembered.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

most people are naturally righty anyway?

MRD

Yes, and within the is the answer as to why the overwhelming majority of switch-hitters are natural righties. There are so few left-handed pitchers that it decreases the opportunities for a natural lefty hitter to practice against lefty pitchers to be good enough against them. A lefty hitter is also sacrificing a step out of the batter’s box when he bats right handed. Add it all up, and there is less incentive for a left-hander to bat right-handed and there are less opportunities to practice on their naturally weaker sides to get better. It’s the exact opposite for a natural right-handed hitter.

I’m not saying natural lefties don’t switch-hit as kids. What happens, though, is they are so much better as hitters as lefties that coaches eventually force them to hit only left-handed. JT Snow used to be a switch hitter, but he was forced to stop in the minors.

The HR power of a lot of switch hitters, even the best ones, start to weaken from their less-dominant side as they get older. Think of Bernie. He had very good splits through most of his career until he got older. His last year he was stronger against left-handed pitching. He probably could have continued on a few more years as a right-handed DH, pinch hitter if that’s what he wanted.

My original point was to create a discussion in response to something Michael Kay said.

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

Fun fact. There are (at least) two switch hitters in today’s game who are natural left handers.

Lance Berkman
Brian Roberts

MRD

Lance Berkman falls into the stastical area of cross-dominance, meaning that he’s truly ambidextrous (most switch-hitters are not cross-dominant, but simply learned to hit the opposite side.) A little less than one percent of the population falls into that category. I’ve included true ambidextrous hitters in that very small percentage of switch-hitting players who are not naturally right-handed. When you remove the cross-dominant hitters, the precentage of true left-handed hitters who are switch-hitters is an even smaller number.

Haven’t researched Roberts. He might be in that one or two percent of natural lefties, or he also might cross-dominant.

whozat

…perhaps, but fortunately they actually CHECKED and Wieters is worse from the right side.

Carlosologist

all switch-hitters start as natural right-handed hitters.

Wrong. I’m going to play in high school. I’m going to switch-hit. I’m a natural lefty.

John Sterling just said “Baseballs a tough game to figure”
Hes switching things up , WTF?

bonestock94

Here we go, do or die…

Jose the Satirist

Do they have a rally in their bones…

Magnus Stultus

well AJ, let’s make yourself useful and get the pie fucking ready please.

James A

Kenny hasnt seen Brian Tallet recently

Greg

it’s been that kind of day

CBean

This game is annoying.

http://www.mystiqueandaura.com/ JMK

Awful…

bonestock94

oof

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Blah.

Not really fun fact: The Orioles have the best record in the AL in one-run games.

Kit

Surprisingly.

Jose the Satirist

Fun fact to make up for the not really fun fact: The Boston Red Sox aren’t going to make the playoffs.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Fun fact is very very fun. \o/!!!!

Kit

Agreed. Fun times. =)

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

Fun fact. I hate Greg.

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

blown chances today for the Yanks. But that is what to expect when AJ is pitching.

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

As unsatisfying as AJ was, the Yankee offense only had 5 hits. Of course we can pick apart AJ’s performance, but the bats simply didn’t get it done. And that bottom of the 7th was pathetic.

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

Matusz dominated them. Had chances to beat him up but when Jeter is having a shitty season, Cervelli needs to go back to AAA, Chad Moeller is your option off the bench, Gardner looks lost, Cano is 2008 version swinging at everything… it goes down hill from there.

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

Everything that you mentioned had nothing to do with today’s loss. Except maybe your vague reference to Gardner, who, yes, did look lost with that bunt “attempt.”

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

Oh, I must have looked at the wrong game box and line up. Must have been another game.

Greg

Let’s hope 2 doesnj’t become three

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

AJ has gotten so bad he can’t even find a way to use the pie.

It’sATarp

sigh…i have to remind myself to never watch an AJ outing ever again.

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

too bad they will have him pitch in the playoffs.

Can see it now, splitting the first two games needing to win game three and AJ is scheduled to pitch = early exit. Plus with the hitting of Jeter and others, yikes.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

I love Yankee fans. Two losses after an eight-game winning streak and we’re DOOOOOOOMED!!!!!

Greg

We got to beat the teams that are not as good as us.
If we were 5 up on the Rays it would be less hurting. But we’re not. So it stings. However, if CC does what I expect him to do, the streak will stop.

Jose the Satirist

The Yankees are 10-3 against Baltimore. Most of the time they do put the hurt on.

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

Yes, those 8 wins were against some quality teams, so I am premature in my assessment of their ability to beat the shittier teams like Tampa, Texas, and Minnesota.

Today, a very very very good Baltimore team beat them and that is just how it is. And apparently you see a different AJ than I do, because right now he is an 85 million dollar headcase that is what his numbers said they were before the Yankees made the terrible investment in him.

Congrats on being so positive. If I had your address I would send you a gold star.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

How did I know you were gonna bust out, in some weird way, the “they beat non-contenders” line, yet whine when they lose to the Orioles? We beat Chicago, Oakland, and Toronto during that streak. You can argue over whether those teams are contenders or not, but they’re certainly better than Baltimore.

And I didn’t say anything about AJ. He annoys me at times just like he annoys pretty much everyone else. And no, he never had a year this bad before the Yankees signed him.

Do you want a black star for being so friggin’ negative all the time or something? What is the point?

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

you say negative, I say honest. Positivity is fools gold.

we have different definitions on bad versus good years. AJ had ONE good season, his last in Toronto. Otherwise he has been a .500 pitcher. +2 to +4 in more wins than losses is not a “good pitcher”.

But what do I know you are the expert here.

It’sATarp

one good season? i guess you missed his stint with the marlins and the other 2 years with the jays…and since when was win-loss a good indicator of a pitcher? by that measure King Felix is a horrible pitcher this year. I will say he’s no longer the same pitcher as we hoped when we signed him…but to say he only had one good year is just stupid.

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

k/bb = 2.18 career – only 3 seasons better than league average
bb/9 = 3.9 – only 2 seasons where he has been better than league ave.
h/9 = 8.1

whip and BABIP = in line with league average

LOB% right on league average.

so really it is beyond the win/loss – which is the same type of ridiculous numbers used for comparison that people use to define the Yankees as great, like Runs scored or run differential – but since it was stupid, had to respond.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Yes, being positive about the best team in baseball is stupid and naive of me. You turned one loss into “we’re doomed in the playoffs.” It’s very annoying.

Heh, you just used W-L to judge a pitcher. AJ Burnett wasn’t CC Sabathia, but like I said, he’d never had a year this bad.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I figured Matusz would give ‘em a hard time, but you have to figure now that they got past the carbon copies of Cecil/Matusz, they should get back on the winning track tomorrow and Wednesday.

bonestock94

And the day is only gonna get worse having to root for the Red Sox again.

Magnus Stultus

Eff that, i am not rooting for the Red Sox under any circumstances.

Magnus Stultus

MOhara shuts it down 1-2-3 in the ninth. This game sucks.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

…and we probably won’t see him again in this series. Unless the O’s have another soft tossing, crafty lefthander in the mold of Cecil and Matusz. Oh, Arrieta and Bergesen…two righties with 5+ ERAs. I like the Yankees chances.

ZZ

Baseball managers have very little impact on the game. Less than probably any other sport. Especially on a team like the Yankees who have so much talent, the manager is more or less just supposed to stay out of the way and let his talent edge win the games.

Girardi did not do that today. He continued to send out a pitcher who was throwing the ball extremely poor. He did his who had plenty of very talent arms in the bullpen and who almost surely would throw the ball better than AJ a great disservice today.

The way AJ was throwing today it was not a question of whether he would give up runs. It was just a question of how much the Orioles were going to bail him out.

AJ should not have been out for the 6th inning, let alone the 7th inning. That is painful to watch after Girardi prioritized winning by pulling Vazquez and Nova early this past week. This is a tight pennant race with a very talent Rays team.

This game could really come back to hurt them and it is a shame because when that happens you don’t want to blame the manager.

ZZ

He did his +team+

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

His line actually looks much better than his performance. 7.0 IP, 7 H, 4 ER. But those goddamn 4 BBs, and allowing just about every lead off hitter on was brutal. And those 2 out RBIs are probably the most frustrating.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Thank you. His knack for giving up the 2-out RBI is particularly frustrating. That’s one of those things in baseball that really takes the air out of a team. Usually, best solved by answering immediately the next half-inning with a run or two of your own. The Yanks didn’t have it in them today.

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

I am hoping Girardi goes to Chicago. He is just as much as a liability to this team as AJ and others.

Jose the Satirist

This can’t be real.

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

about him going to Chicago, yes. The other part, just irritation with his in game decisions.

Jose the Satirist

Who do you want to replace him? What about that person do think makes them better than Girardi?

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

hard to say…. not that this is even a possibility but I would take Gardenhire over Girardi.

lenn

I would take Connie Mack.

It’sATarp

yea that was weird, seeing how short of a leash Nova and Javy had while he lets AJ who has been in trouble every inning except the first work himself into the 7th.

frank

Absolutely correct on all points. AJ should never have started the 7th after the Yanks tied it at 3. At the very least, he should have removed when the lead off hitter got on in the 7th (for the third inning in a row). AJ had 1 good inning- the first. He struggled every inning after that. Very disappointing loss.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

He had a low pitch count and wasn’t teetering on disaster. I have no problem with giving him an extra inning. Showing confidence in him probabaly gave him more confidence in the long run.

We need him in the playoffs. We do. It’s best to get him on track now, and let him figure it out now, then pull him when he isn’t ptiching terribly or on a high pitch count.

ZZ

He was pitching terribly. That is what you are not understanding.

Lineup AJ side to side with any of his 6, 7, 8 run starts this year and his stuff was no different. The only difference was he was facing the worst team in MLB.

You think he gained confidence today? He cost the team the game coughing the lead right back up. If you watched the way he was throwing the ball that was inevitable, but Girardi ignored that. Guess what? It backfired, the Yankees lost the game, and AJ gained no extra confidence.

http://twitter.com/SteeeeveO Steve O.

For us to win in the playoffs, we need him to be on. One game in september isn’t going to kill us. It’s better for his confidence to leave him in and let him work through it, than pull him early for that single win. I understand he did not pitch well. I do. He let the team down, but so did the offense.

The outcome of leaving him in, may have lessened his confidence, but it showed Girardi had confidence in him. We don’t know how he’s feeling, but we do know that he probabaly thinks Giradi left him in longer because he believes in him.

ZZ

What does that accomplish? Is he going to pitch better now?

Chris

The playoffs are infinitely more important than a Labor Day game against the Orioles. There are two possible outcomes:

1. AJ gains confidence and improves.

2. AJ doesn’t and it’s clear that he needs a short hook in the playoffs.

It’s not always about winning this game. It’s also about trying to get the players on track and finding out what they can and can’t be counted on to do going forward.

ZZ

The Yankees have been playing that game all year. They need AJ so lets show confidence in him and hope he rebounds.

At some point it is insanity to keep buying into that crap. At some point it is all just a recycled line that gets thrown out after every start that AJ blows the game as an excuse for Girardi leaving him in there too early.

People have been saying that same exact thing throughout AJ’s entire career and nothing has changed. Managers have been saying the same exact thing throughout his career and nothing has changed. AJ himself says the same exact things every single year and nothing changes.

People think that AJ is this super honest self evaluating player and that Girardi is great for prioritizing the future over the present when it comes to AJ. Neither of these things are true though because it has been the same routine year after year with AJ and his dynamic with his manager.

Doing the same thing over and over is the definition of insanity as the saying goes.

It is insane at this point to expect any confidence builders are going to make one lick of a difference.

lenn

They still are going to need him in the playoffs.

ZZ

So if you take him out in the 5th inning today he can’t pitch in the playoffs?

Did Selig add some extra clause to the rulebook to keep the Yankees from winning another WS?

lenn

Labor day game is not very important. It is important to see if he can work through things now rather than third or fourth game of the playoffs. I really don’t think giving up 4 runs through 7 innings is that bad compared to the majority of his most recent starts.

ZZ

Really, a labor day game is not important? 2.5 game lead going into the day over the Rays and the game isn’t important?

Every game is important this time of year with such a good team in second place.

When has AJ ever worked through things in his career? This is who he is.

lenn

He is going to start in the playoffs. They are in the playoffs right now. The most important thing is to get ready for the playoffs. In my opinion they shouldn’t kill themselves just to get homefield advantage. I don’t even like A.J. but I don’t think a short leash in a September game is the best way to prepare him for the playoffs. Just my opinion.

http://twitter.com/Brad_Toughy Brad Toughy

The Yankees are 9 games up on a wild card spot and have a 99.1% chance of making the playoffs.

One game against the Orioles isn’t a huge deal. More important than the outcome of today’s game is that the Yankees get AJ Burnett fixed for the playoffs, because he will start.

You hate AJ Burnett, we get it. And you’re pissed the Yanks lost to the Orioles.

But all the bitching in the world isn’t going to make you right.

I have no problem with Girardi choosing not to burn out the bullpen against the Orioles. They’ve got a brutal stretch coming up when they’ll need them. This game is on the offense – not AJ Burnett.

tom

On the one hand, Matusz seemed considerably better than AJ today, so it’s a tribute to the Yankees they got it as close as they did. (Plus luck, on that Cano blooper)

On the other hand…sending Burnett out to pitch the 7th dredged up memories of the post-season game last year, where the team had heroically come back to tie about that point, and AJ, put back out there, coughed up the lead instantly. Premonitions can of course be wrong, but my immediate feeling today was we were going to see the same thing, and it was painful that turned out to be the ball game.

It’sATarp

matsuz’s was a highly regarded prospect. Since the all star break he really has been coming to his own. he’s been on a very nice run late in the season.

Sick Nwisher

AJ is nothing more then a over payed 5th starter at this point.
If the Yankees win, the games that he pitches, then great. Saying that, I do not expect them to win, when he, takes the mound anymore, I just hope, they win.

Chris

No, this is what most teams have for a third starter. There aren’t 150 consistent, quality starters in the majors.

ZZ

Not at all. AJ has been one of the worst starters in all of baseball since May.

He is the definition of a 5th starter this season and wouldn’t even cut it as that for most teams, because of how bad he has been since May.

Am I the only one who thinks Girardi is a good manager? I agree he makes questionable decisions at times, but it seems to me that most people here don’t like him.

*This post was inspired by iYankee.

It’sATarp

he’s a good manager but once in a while he will try to outsmart himself.

Kit

I have no idea what iYankee’s post was about, so I can’t tell if this is sarcasm or not, but I personally think he is a decent manager (and he should be given the players he works with). He has his moments, like every manager, where things don’t work out but I definitely don’t hate or dislike him though.

Jose the Satirist

I can’t think of any manager ever who didn’t make questionable decisions.

lenn

I agree but it’s much cooler these days to bitch and moan about EVERYTHING.

Jose the Satirist

Who the hell invented lightswitches?!?! I should be able to have lights turn on without getting off my ass!

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

I think he is a very good manager. Every single manager makes questionable decisions, but only if you watch every game for that team will they seem to be magnified.

And not only that, he has a lot more inside information, so even the questionable decisions may have merit in them behind the scenes.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

I think he’s a quite good manager. I don’t think he’s irreplaceable and if the Cubs are throwing a ton of money at him just let him walk, but I do like him. Doesn’t mean he never makes a mistake, but I like him a lot.

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

sorry didn’t like the signing when it happened and think he had less to do with last year than most give him credit.

But I understand that professing any displeasure with the Yankees is once again prohibited.

My apologies. Girardi is great.

Jose the Satirist

You can profess displeasure. You just have to explain it.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

But I understand that professing any displeasure with the Yankees is once again prohibited.
My apologies. Girardi is great.

Your strawman arguments are frequent and lame.

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

ah.. good to know. point taken.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Seriously: You can criticize the Yankees. But don’t you see the difference between criticizing the Yankees and saying one loss, like, dooms us in the playoffs? While using awful logic?

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

you are right. this is all about todays meaningless fucking loss. I care.

Jeter has hit like crap all season.
Posada has his spurts.
Hughes can’t find any part of the plate but the middle.
Gardner has speed but doesn’t steal and is now getting on base less often.
Granderson is game to game.
Pettitte is still not back, don’t care if he is making a rehab, doesn’t mean he will be back to where he was.
AJ is good for three innings per 9 pitched
Joba can’t be trusted

so yes, this is all about one game. Exactly what I was saying dooms us for the playoffs. I game against the orioles.

I sincerely apologize that I am not blessed with your ability to adequately articulate what I am trying to say before it is all lost defending it against over anxious people like you who seem to think that any sort of frustration expressed that does not come a series of 5 or 6 “allowed” posters it immediately makes the person a ledge jumper, idiot, stupid, negative… sorry can’t remember all the other descriptions.

You are obviously granted the permission to see this team as far better than they are, at least in my eyes, but then again, our definitions of good, better, great are far different. This team is filled with holes right now and not many of them jelling. Sure they just won 8 in a row against teams that are either completely removed from contention and consist of players just padding their stats or one border line team that is a far greater enigma than the Yankees. Right now, the Twins or Rays have to be the favorites in the playoffs simple based on pitching. The Yankees have CC – after that it is a crap shoot on which version of the pitcher will show up.

As for the line up, the team does hit better than the Rays, not so sure about the Rangers, and the Twins. And since pitching is the desired asset in the playoffs, it would seem that better pitching will usurp average hitting – which the Yankees are – yes I know runs scored blah blah blah…

Either way it really makes no difference because we see this team differently. And as you have stated, my view is clearly wrong; opinions left to being the equivalent of assholes.

Chris

Jeter has hit like crap all season. One right. (Although technically he hit well in April)

Posada has his spurts. Posada is one of the best offensive catchers in baseball. What do you mean he has spurts?

Hughes can’t find any part of the plate but the middle. He’s given up 3 or fewer runs in 7 of his last 9 starts. He’s given up a ton of home runs at home this year, but is young and should improve. I don’t think there’s a team that has a better number 3 starter.

Gardner has speed but doesn’t steal and is now getting on base less often. This is all wrong. Gardner is 4th in the AL in SB, and just 2 behind second. In the last 25 games (96 PA) Gardner has a .474 OBP. That’s .474. Almost half the time he’s getting on base. That’s ridiculously good.

Granderson is game to game. Since the swing tweak, he’s hitting .286/.368/.583/.952. Again, ridiculously good.

Pettitte is still not back, don’t care if he is making a rehab, doesn’t mean he will be back to where he was. Sure, Pettitte is an issue because we don’t know what he’ll do when he gets back.

AJ is good for three innings per 9 pitched What does this even mean? He’s inconsistent and has been for his entire career. That’s not going to change, and he’s still better than every other teams 4th starter.

Joba can’t be trusted Joba since 7/28 (last 17 games): 1.62 ERA.

I don’t think anyone has a problem with people criticizing the Yankees. What people have a problem with is when you make up stuff that isn’t true or is completely unprovable and use that as an excuse for criticizing the Yankees.

Betty Lizard

Dear iYankee:

Regarding this statement:

This team is filled with holes right now and not many of them jelling. Sure they just won 8 in a row . . . .

Whenever I voice anything even approaching this level of non-reality based and whiny entitlement my friend (fan of a truly losing team) is quick to point out “And that’s why people hate Yankees fans.”

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

I just saw this and you know what? I honestly had a response all written up, and deleted it because it’s not worth it, at all.

And you’re still doing that strawman shit. Quit acting like a victim, it’s tiresome. Your view isn’t wrong because it’s your view. I’m allowed to criticize your view, and you are obviously allowed to criticize mine.

Slappy White

Note to self: Dont get snippy with Bexy

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

no, don’t call yourself iYankee.

Slappy White

never would

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

Who do you consider to be great managers in baseball?

yungsta

I think Girardi is a very good manager. I think that having the best record in baseball and winning the 2009 WS is not done without having a good manager.

Chris

I think he’s a tremendous manager. The biggest impact that a manager has on the game is bullpen management, and Girardi has a knack for keeping the whole bullpen fresh. He doesn’t overuse the top relievers or underuse the bottom ones *cough*Torre*cough*.

It’sATarp

there’s a reason Broxton went form all star closer to mediocre reliever in mid season… there was one point in the season where torre made broxton throw over 90 pitches in a 3 day span.

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

Great points.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I’m not a big Girardi fan, but I do think his strongest point is how he seems to have a knack at building a bullpen. Even in 2008. A refreshing change after Torre. If Torre was still around, Joba would probably have blown his arm out by now and David Robertson wouldn’t be far behind.

Hughesus Christo

It’s not hard to look like a BP-management genius in comparison to Joe Torre. Joe Torre isn’t the norm in that area of the game. “He’s better than Torre with the bullpen” isn’t enough for me when we’re talking about why we need to hand Girardi a megadeal after his contract is up.

Chris

It’s not that he’s better than Torre. It’s that he’s better than just about everyone. When you look at charts relating leverage index to reliever FIP, Girardi has been one of the top managers every year at getting his best relievers into the highest leverage spots. And he’s done this while having no reliever on pace for more than 71 games or 70 innings.

Magnus Stultus

I am so sick of the constant babying and excuses for Burnett. He has shown almost zero ability to adapt. He has never been a ‘pitcher’. The man has imploded time and time again with his one pitch arsenal , and yet, refuse to throw a potential plus change up. HE IS REALLY DUMB AND HE HAS NOT WARRANTED ANY CONFIDENCES IN HIM.

Joe G should have take his ass out with first sign of trouble in the eighth. He sucks, period. He is a mental midget with mediocre stuffs at this point which basically translates into a below mediocre pitcher.

iYankee(next generation from Apple)

Oh you are going to catch hell for that one.

http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

Wow. There is so much wrong in this. I’m not sticking up, babying or making excuses for AJ Burnett the pitcher. He is who he is. But to attack him, call him dumb and a mental midget is pretty off base.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Thank you.

OH NOZ UR GONNA GET ATTACKED BY TEH OPTIMISTS NOOOOOO

Magnus Stultus

Pardon me, I was talking about his baseball IQ. I apologize for not making that clear.

He could very well be a MENSA champion outside of the baseball world , that I won’t doubt or care.

lenn

The problem is who starts in the playoffs if the Yanks need four starters? I still prefer him over Javy.

Chris

What playoff team has a better 3rd starter than Hughes? What team has a better 4th starter than AJ?

Any team that is even close doesn’t have an offense that is anywhere near the Yankees’.

lenn

My main worries are Andy’s health, Hughes innings limit, and A.J.’s inconsistencies. I feel good about Andy but I’m just not sure about the other two. Happy just whenever A.J. gives up less than five runs.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I think if they pass over a Hughes start and maybe shorten some of his outings (if possible) he’ll be OK. Maybe not great, but good enough. Nowhere near A.J. or Javy territory. I know I’m usually a pessimist, but for some reason, I’m always pretty high on Hughes. I think he’ll step up when we need him in October.

ZZ

I asked this above and you didn’t answer.

What evidence is there that fatigue is hurting Hughes at all?

Girardi said the other day they have no plans to skip any of Hughes’ starts.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

His location has been off which can be indicative of tiring. He’s lost a little bit off his fastball and he’s not putting guys away the way he was earlier in the season. He’s thrown far more innings than he ever has before and if they feel the need to impose an innings limit on him, they must think it’s because his arm MIGHT not yet be up to a full season’s worth of work just yet. Why? Maybe because of fatigue and they don’t want him straining his arm late in the season.

No. There’s no black and white evidence. It’s just what I’ve witnessed in how he’s thrown lately and this isn’t the first season of baseball I’ve watched. I’ve seen tiring pitchers before. It’s my opinion. You disagree. Fine. Unless your or my name is Joe Girardi (mine’s not) it doesn’t matter much. It’s just fun debate for us.

I never said they were GOING TO skip a start. I just think when and if Pettitte comes back, they might want to think about it. Especially if they can wrap up a playoff spot with some time to spare, which it looks like should happen. How’s it going to hurt? It wouldn’t be the first time it’s happened in baseball history a guy was rested in September.

Magnus Stultus

If Hughes gains the mastery over another pitch, say, change up , he will simply become that much more effective IMO.
Hughes has already gained good command of his fb and curve. I think a change up would further his development as an elite pitcher down the road.

ZZ

Absolutely. It will come. Young pitchers don’t put everything together in one season. Once Hughes takes the next step it is scary to think how good he will be.

Magnus Stultus

Yes, it takes quite awhile to develop an Ace. Hughes has the ingredients in becoming one I do believe.

His biggest plus to me is , he has already manage to command his plus fastball already. Most of time, ML hitters aren’t able to center his FB despite knowing that is coming speaks volume of how good of that offering is. A change up coming off the same plane as his FB will simply make him nasty in the future.

ZZ

A well commanded fastball is the greatest weapon any pitcher can have.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Hey, like I said, I’m a big Hughes fan and think he’s on the cusp of ace status. If he could manage to work one more pitch into his arsenal down the road, it would be huge.

Jerome S

I don’t think he needs another pitch, I just think he needs to learn how to correctly use the stellar stuff that he has. His problems stem from throwing fastballs at the wrong times, not varying his speeds, etc. All things that in turn stem from his youth. I think he needs a long conversation with CC, personally, but hey…

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I think mediocre stuff is all that really matters, which is all he’s had for the better part of the year. I don’t care if he has a doctorate in astrophysics or an I.Q. of 56, if his curveball has no bite and his fastball is flat, he’s not going to be effective. No one is.

One eyed Mike

#oriolemagic wasn’t supposed to work on the Yankees…just TB and Bos…

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

There are two games and two sub-par pitchers left for the O’s in this series. Things go back to “normal” tomorrow.

Actually, Chicago is in front of them in the Wild Card going into today. Just one more team hammering the nails in I guess.

Magnus Stultus

Wherever Manny Ramirez goes that particular team normally wins.

bonestock94

That’s why I don’t mind rooting for the Red Sox today. And by “root” I mean be happy when the Rays are losing and mockingly restate mantras such as “5 aces” and “run prevention.”

Magnus Stultus

I am hoping for a bench clearing brawl !

Jerome S

It’s just that they keep losing important series and they keep saying that it was their last chance… and yet somehow this series is their last chance. wtf?

Jerome S

Six runs in the last two games, ARod drove in half of them. Just cause the A-Horse came back doesn’t mean that the rest of you guys can give up with the bats.

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

Remember when they were throwing out that stat about how they were 12-0 (or something like that) without him when he first went on the DL? If this keeps up, you’re going to be hearing how good their record is without him in the lineup ad nauseum. I’m not saying whether or not it has merit, just that the media loves to jump on that stuff.

http://riveraveblues bob

long season cc goes next will win next 2 lets go red sox

MikeJ

The magic number is 16, how come it isn’t changed????

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

It’s still 17. The White Sox passed the Red Sox in the Wild Card standings.

MikeJ

I didn’t realize that…..sorry for ever doubting the RAB wisdom! :)

JG233

I hope the Cubs take Girardi too…not walking Roberts and bringing in Logan to pitch in the 7th was one of the easier moves he had to make all season and he was brain dead.

Badbrains

Hey Mike Axisa why haven’t you corrected this posting. The Orioles have actually played more than 25 games under Showalter. How can we take your writing seriously if you don’t even acknowledge this mistake? Sure it is a minor detail but you have based your interpretation of Showalter’s influence on the wrong numbers.